a m a g a z i n e o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g VOLUME XXIII, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY, 1958

VANGUARD COLLAPSES IN FLAMES-The Vanguard rocket, carrying a baby satellite, rises two to four feet from i t s launching pad, then Settles back before collapsing in a mass of flames following abortive launching attempt at Cape Canaveral, Friday, December 6. These six scenes are from official movie film. Officials attempted immediately to determine the reason for the rocket's failure. A TREMENDOUS PROPAGANDA BLOW was dealt the United States with the failure of this much-publicized attempt to compete with Russia's earth satellites. -Wide World Photo

Page 2 The PLAIN TRUTH

~~~~~

VOL. XXllI NO. 2

HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG Pilblisher am! Editor

Herman L. Hoeh Execiltiue Editor

Roderick C. Meredith Garner Ted Armstrong

Associate Editors

Sent FREE to all who request it, us the Lord provide& Address all com- munications to the editor, Box 11 1, Pasadana, California. Our readem in Britah should addfeu the editor, B.C.M. Ambassdor, Lolldon W.C. 1.

Copyright January, 1958 By the Radio Church of God

NOTICE: Be sure to notify us immediately of any change in your address. Please in- clude both old and new addresses. This is IMPORTANT!

letters to the Editor Only God Can Heal

“I had an awful pain in both my legs for a long time. After I received the cloth from you I put it on them and prayed. My legs are alright again and I thank God for healing them. Thank you for helping me to find out that there is no one that can heal except God. I am thanking God for His blessings and for healing me. I have now paid out more than $5,000.00 to different doctors, be- side that for medicine. I became no bet- ter than I was at first. Now I know a Great Doctor that can heal all kinds of sickness. I don’t have to give Him mon- ey and I don’t have to take pills. This Doctor’s name is Jesus Christ.”

Woman from Mart, Texas Editor’s note: Yes, only God heals!

Healed of Ulcers and Gallstones “Here is good news, I have been

healed of ulcers since I was baptized. And a while back I was also healed of gallstones. The latter happened when I first started receiving the Plain Truth.”

Woman from Seiad Valley, California

Quick: Answers

“I wish to thank you for your prayers in my behalf and the anointed cloth I received just reccntly. It is a great joy to be able to report to you that the con- dition for which I requested prayer was corrcctcd cven before I had time to re- ceive the cloth. I nevertheless followed your instructions sent with the cloth, and thanks be to God and you for what you both have done and continue to do.”

Man from Atmore, Alabama

“Dear M r . Armstrong: “My little girl is very sick with flu and

I want you to send an anointcd cloth for her. The Lord God was so good to heal me of rheumatism last year when I sent to you for a prayer cloth. Somehow I’ve neglected to tell you of it. The healing wasn’t all at once but came gradually and was complctc. I’m so thankful for it and I thank God for His faithful serv- ants and make mention of you always in my prayers.”

Woman from Carthage, Mississippi

Anointed Cloth Received

“Here is something I have to tell you. Nearly five years ago I suffered with hemorrhoid-piles. I wrote to you to send me an anointed cloth and asked you to pray for me. You sent it and I prayed to God and was healed. I have been prais- ing and thanking God ever since and I tell people that are sick about you and how I was healed. I put all my faith in this prayer.”

Woman from Chidester, Arkansas

A Miracle from God

“I want to write and tell you how much I appreciate your last magazine containing your message on faith. I read it while I was in the hospital. I’m afraid I never would have known how to have the faith to get healed.

“On Monday night when we received your letter with the anointed handker- chief I was seriously ill. But thank God when I placed the handkerchief on my body, God immediately stopped all pain-I started moving my leg, then I came out of that hospital bed and began walking. The first I had been able to walk in five weeks. Thank God the doc- tors and nurses knew a miracle had hap-

February, 1958

pened. The following Friday I came home.

“I was left with a nervous condition, but thank God I have had Faith and prayed to God and He has healed that.

“I want to thank you again for your prayers. I know God worked through you, my faith and my husbands faith. That is the reason for my healing.”

Woman from West Blocton, Alabama

Healed in T w o Days

“I received your prayer cloth. I had hemorrhoid-piles and was in so much pain that my husband said that I had to go and be operated on. I told him I wouldn’t go. I took the prayer cloth and prayed with all my heart and believed God would help me. In two days all the pain left and it hasn’t returned. I was so thankful to God.

“Since then I sprained my back and surely am in pain so that I can hardly walk. I want to get better so that I can do my house work. Please send me another cloth.”

Woman from Indiana, Pennsylvania

Pain Emed When the Anointed Cloth was Maled

“I want to let you know that God answered your prayer of faith, and healed me. The terrible pain started to ease up, the first time in six months, the day that you mailed the anointed cloth to me. I received it four days later, and the next morning I could walk up and down stairs as well as I ever could, with just a slight amount of pain. Each day it grows less and less.

“Thank you Mr. Armstrong, for all you have done for me. Not only teach- ing me of God’s wonderful gift of heal- ing, but His wishes regarding our physi- cal sickness or sin. I believe that is the reason for my suffering. I have read the instructions many times in the Bible, but I guess they never sunk in. Twice when I first fell ill, I planned to have my husband take me to a doctor in our home town, but the car broke down each time, although there was nothing the matter with it all week. I have read and studied your booklet ‘Does God Heal Today’ many times, and shall continue to do so until I can remember every sentence in it.”

Woman from Portsmouth, N.H.

THE SPACE AGE here’s what it means!

You were suddenly plummeted into the SPACE AGE with the launching of ”Sputnik” on Oct. 4, 1957-only to be horrified at the failure of the U.S. to launch its first satellite! Where will this

OU STAND at this moment ON

THE THRESHOLD of a frightful new age-the age of interplane-

tary travel! For the first time in recorded human

history, the human mind has created an earth satellite. The next step will rocket man onto a space platform. Then man himself will DARE to journey through outer space!

It is time you became informed of the terrifying significance behind this latest and boldest attempt of man to conquer the world and penetrate the universe!

Y

Opening the GATES OF HEAVEN?

Where will this stupendous race for space lead? Here is the answer of Wer- ner von Braun, the German-born head of the U.S. missile project and inventor of the V2 rocket: “It will open to m a n the GATES OF HEAVEN”!

What mighty words! What is this that men are about to

do? Where will it all end? Will humanity destroy itself in the

struggle for control of the planets-and the universe? How much further can man’s achievements continue before the God of all the universe will intervene in human affairs?

What is the impelling motive that drives the nations to struggle over bar- ren planets on which human beings would have t o live IMPRISONED I N

“SPACE JACKETS”?

Human Beings Feel INFERIOR !

This is also the age o f mass iizferior-

space-race for survival end?

by Herman L. Hoeh

cope with the world they live in. THEY by plotting to steal our space secrets FEEL INFERIOR. They are conscious of in 1947! their human weaknesses. The communists - despite their

But notice how man is trying to solve boasts-are conscious of the inferiority this problem. How did the Russians get of their system-but their system brings around their feelings of inferiority?- the few at the t o p real power. To stay

and technological inventions, the over- -Wide World Photo Despite failure to launch earth satellite, America has launched many Aerobee rockets, designed primarily for high altitude research. Read what the SPACE AGE means to you in this issue!

majority Of human recognize their i nd iu idd inadequucy to

Page 4

in power they had spies qteal our space secrets and make it appear that the launching of earths first satellite was solely a COMMUNIST achievement Tt has had t r emendow propaganda value. Mil- lions in Asia and Africa n o w believe COMMUNISM is the right way!

Our foolishly publicised attempt to launch the Vanguard satellite added to communism’s propaganda barrage!

In 40 short years communism has changed Europe’s most backward nation into what appears to be the greatest power in world history. But it is all a LIE! Communism did not achieve the miracle of launching the first satellite. They had to steal the idea from America -then couple their knowledge with that of German scientific experts captured at the end of World War 11. The launching of “sputnik” makes communists now feel SUPERIOR!

Man Is Still Earth-Bound !

As we stand on the threshold of this startling new age created by the mind of man, we all suddenly recognize that we are bodily EARTH-BOUND creatures.

Mortal man was created with powers of mind capable of taking him far out into the universe. But, in contrast, we are all born with earth-bound bodies. Our bodies are unable by themselves to survivc away from the earth. Our life is absolutely dependent on breathing air from the earth’s atmosphere-on eating food from rhc earth’s soil.

In venturing into outer space man has to CARRY these needs with him. He can- not find any air to breathe on thc moon. There is no rain there to grow food. Poisonous gases fill the atmospheres of the other planets. Man’s supply linc must originate in the earth. Man is a veritable “son of the soil.” Man is indeed made of the dust of the ground. Hc is an earth-bound creature.

In such a frustrating state, human beings want t o RUN AWAY f rom them- selves-want to escape the problems confronting them. Man wants to rise above his natural bodily inferiority!

This is why politicians-who them- selves feel inferior-suddenly appear on the world scene boastfully promising that the spoils belong to the SUPERIOR!

They see in the frustrated masses the

The PLAIN TRUTH

means by which they can rise above thew o w n feelings of inferiority. That is what’s happened in Russia. Communist politicians now enslave their citizens, put their scientific men to work. They now promise that everything will be bet- ter tomorrow if only the “superior” Russians can have n e w territory to coa-

quer-this time in OUTER SPACE!

Rut new territories mean n e w WARS,

new jealousies. Vanity is driving the Russians on to

be first in space conquest They are be- coming proud-they feel outwardly SU-

PERIOR, though down deep there is that gnawing feeling of inferiority.

Today, after the miserable failure of the Vanguard launching of the United Stares’ satellite, we find ourqelves recond in the struggle for conquest of outer space. This failure has made us, in turn, f w l tnfcrmr’ lt has frightened us! Our leaders are fearful of losing this life or death struggle. Taxes will soon increase to pay the immense c m t of this rufler- Yare for the vast near-emptiness of SPACE!

What vanity’ How blind to the real purpose of life

the nations are! Can we not see the reason behind the

fact that our minds rzre purposely limited by our bodies?

February, 1958

Do yo% know why you were born mentally capable of accomplishing things for which your bodies are not prepared?

Human Beings Purposely Limited

Why is the new age of possible inter- planetary travel bringing such FEAR to most people?

Bemuse we are afraid that VAST NEW

OF MEN UNQUALIFIED to use them properly-men who would stop at noth- ing in order to ENSLAVE the world. Such men exist today and are in the lead in the race for control of outer space!

It is to keep such men from reaching their ultimate goal that God made our bodies earth-bound! Human beings are NOT YET QUALIFIED to roam the uni- verse at will!

Not until we have learned how to discipline our minds-to bridle our whole human body with its emotions and drives-will we be competent to leave this earth and share dominion with God over the universe!

Men want to do things in the opposite way they should. HUMAN BEINGS WANT

To CONQUER THE UNIVERSE before LEARNING TO CONQUER themselves. BY

POWERS WILL FALL INTO THE HANDS

SO DOING THEY ARE HEADING STRAIGHT

TOWARD WORLD DESTRUCTION!

Most people usually like to THINK OF

Russian dogs on exhibit. Moscow claims these test animals had been passengers in experimental rockets that ascended more than 621h miles and returned. Russia later announced-November 3-that it launched a live dog in the second space satellite. The dog has since died. These experiments set off unofficial furor in West about cruelty to animals!

-Wide World Photo

February, 1958 The PLAIN TRUTH Page 5

THEMSELVES AS ALREADY ABLE to do the things God does. They want to come and go as they please. They do not want anynne telling them what to do or where to go. They want no one to be superior to them, ordering them around.

Not a NEW Idea !

The idea of journeying far out into space, however, is as old as civilization itself. For almost 6000 years innumer- able human beings have harbored down deep the SECRET DESIRE TO ESCAPE from this suffering, strife-torn world!

Actually, man wants to escape from himself-escape from the workings of his own mind, from his own frustrations, inhibitions, lusts.

Escaping into outer space WILL NOT

SOLVE HUMANITY’S VEXING PROBLEMS.

I t can only create greater and more dif- jicalt sitadtiom-more fears of foreign enslavement, ever greater tax burdens.

Fleeing into space will never free man from his GREATEST PROBLRM-

HIMSELF! Wherever hzlman beings go, HUMAN NATURE will follow them. And the greater the space over which human nature is extended, the greater will be the number of things to argue over, fight over, war over.

That’s why God must soon intervene in world affairs! Every step man takes into outer space brings that much nearer the DAY of RECKONING! God is soon going to put a stop to man’s uncontrolled folly!

Not Yet Time to Journey Beyond!

Now is not yet the time to be God. Now is ONLY THE TIME OF TRAINING

to become God. The EARTH IS THE PLACE of training-the training ground for entering the God Family.

The universe is not the area of train- ing-it is the reward opened up to us only rpfter having successfully completed our training here!

TRAINING IS ABOUT UP. Soon the time will come when human beings who have “finished the course” ( I1 Timothy 4: 7 ) will no longer be earth-bound creatures, but will become the very Sons of God!

Perhaps we ought to compare our- selves to L I T n E CHICKS yet in their shells, about ready to hatch. All that can

THE FIRST 6000 YEARS OF HUMAN

BEFORE EXPLOSION WRECKED VANGUARD-Technicians make a final check of the Vanguard test rocket before the firing which resulted in the spectacular explosion seen on page 1 . -Wide World Photo

be seen is within the shells. Only the most infinitesimal amount of knowledge is perceived of what lies outside and beyond the shell. But when God inter- venes in world affairs that shell is going t o crack wide open! Those who are ready to be “born from above”-born of God (John 3:3)-will TRIUM-

PHANTLY AND SUDDENLY ENTER THE

NEW WORLD OF THE SONS OF GODS. N o longer will they be bound to this earth for sustenance.

Notice God’s promise in Isaiah 40:31. It’s astounding!--“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

But thosc who seek lzow to act like gods before they learned to bridle them- selves-those who think they are about

to zoom into outer space-will see their FAR-FETCHED PLANS suddenly HALTED.

For the first time they will see that they have been going in the wrong direction these past 6000 years. They have tried to make a host of machines to carry man’s body into space instead of perfect- ing their own minds first.

They should have been trusting God all this time to provide the proper body for space travel when H e sees fit to make us the born Sons of God. “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be CALLED THE SONS OF GOD. . . . Beloved, now we are the begotten Sons of God, and it is not yet manifested, what we shall be like. Bur we know that when He shall be manifested, we shall be like Him”-like Jesus who is the firstborn Son of God, the “firstborn of many

Page 6

brethren” (Romans 8: 29 )--“for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” ( I John

Do you have the eyes to see the as- tounding import of these verses of in- spired Scripture?

Whoever understands that we were born to become the Sons of God-very G~~-PURIFIES HIMSELF NOW by bri- dling his body and controlling the thoughts of the mind. Now is the time to become pure in character as God Himself is pure and without flaw. Then and then only will you be among those of whom Jesus said: “I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am”-wherever Jesus goes-“there ye may be also” (John 14: 3 ) .

3:l-3).

Oui Destiny Deliberately Hidden

It will come as a surpise, but the truth of our destiny-that we were born to become God-was once known by this world and by its religious leaders. The truth has been deliberately HIDDEN

BY MEN who wmted to make Gods of themselves before they themselves had even learned to become real men!

Let us turn back the pages of history to the century immediately following the apostles. Out of the dark past we are startled to find these words from Ire- naeus, the Catholic Bishop of Lyons, France :

“Irrational, therefore, in every respect, are they who await not the time of in- crease. . . . Such persons know neither God nor themselves, being insatiable and ungrateful, unwilling to be at the outset what they have also been created -men subject to passions; . . . before that they become men, they wish to be even now like God their Creator, and they who are more destitute of reason than dumb animals {insist) that there is no distinction between the uncreated God and man. . . . For WE CAST BLAME UPON H I M , BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT BEEN MADE GODS FROM THE BEGIN- NING, but at first merely men, then at length Gods.”

Strong words these! EARLY CATHO-

LICS, LIKE MANY ANOTHER, ONCE

KNEW THAT MEN WERE DESTINED UL-

TIMATELY TO BECOME GOD!

The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

ness [that we are mortal and must die]. . . . How, then, shall he be a God, who has not as yet been made a [whole7 man? OR HOW CAN HE BE PERFECT WHO WAS BUT LATELY CREATED? HOW,

again, can he be immortal, who in his mortal nature did not OBEY h h Mltker? For it must be that thou, at the outset, shouldest hold the rank of a man, and then afterwards partake of the glory of

(Please continue on page 12)

And notice what Irenaeus continues to explain:

“He [God) declares, ‘I have said, Ye are [ultimately to be) gods; and ye are all [ultimately to be) sons of the High- est’ [Psalm 82 : 6-7). But since we could not sustain [are not yet strong enough to shoulder) the power of divinity, He adds, ‘But ye shall die like men,’ setting forth both truths-the kindness of His free gift {of eternal life) and our weak-

RADIO LOG “The WORLD TOMORROW’

Herbert W. Armstrong analyzes today’s news, with the prophecies of The WORLD TOMORROW!

YO THE US. 6 CANADA

WLAC-Nashville, Tenn.-1510 on dial-7:00 P.M., Mon. thru Sat.

WABC-New York-770 on did- 1130 P.M., Mon. thru Fri.; 9:30 A.M., Sun., Eastern Daylight time.

W1.S - Chicago - 890 on dial - 10:30 P.M., Mon. thru Fri.; 11:OO A.M. & 8:30 P.M. Sun.

WWVA-Wheeling, W. Va.-l170 on dial-10:00 A.M.; 11:lS P.M., Sun., Eastrrn Daylight time. 10:00 P.M., Mon. thru Fri.

CKLW-Windsor, Ontario-800 on dial-6:00 P.M. Sundays.

KVOD - Denver, Colo. - 630 on dial-9:30 P.M. every night.

XELO-800 on dial, every night, 9:00 P.M. Central Standard time. (8;OO P.M. Mountain Standard time.)

XEG-1050 on dial-every night, 8:30 P.M. Central Standard time.

WCAE - Pittsburgh, Pa. - 1250 on dial-6 :30 P.M. Sundays.

KSTL-St. Louis, Mo.-690 on dial -7:00 A.M. Mon. thru Fri.

WEW-E. St. Louis, Mo.-770 on dial-4:30 P.M., Sat. and Sun.

WKYB-Paducah, Ky.-870 on dial -12:00 noon, Sat. and Sun.

KIUL - Garden City, Kansas - 1240 k.c.-6:30 P.M. Sat. and Sun., 3:30 P.M. Mon. thru Fri.

HEARD ON PACIFIC COAST XERB-1090 .on dial-7:00 P.M.

every night. KFWB-Los Angeles-980 on dial-

9:30 P.M., Sundays. KRKD-Los An eles 1150 on dial

-10:00 /!M. ;on. thru Fri.; 1:30 P.M., Sundays.

KARM--Fresno---l430 on dial-9.00 P.M. daily.

KBLA-Burbank-1490 on dial- 7:30 A.M. and 1L:jo P.M. every day.

KPDQ - Portland - 800 on dial - 8:30 A.M. daily.

KUGN--Eugen~-590 o n dial-7 :00 P.M. Sun. thru Fri.

KVI-Seattle-Tacoma-570, first on dial-10:30 P.M. every night.

TO ALL OF EUROPE RADIO LUXEMBOURG-208

metres. Mondays: 23:30 Greenwich time.

TO EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA RADIO TANGIER INTERNA-

TIONAL-1232 kc. & S . W. Snturdays: 22:00 Greenwich time.

TO SOUTH AFRICA RADIO LOURENCO MARQUES,

MOZAMRIQI JE 1o:M) P.M.. Mondays and Satur- days; 10:30.P.M., Tuesdays.

TO ASIA RADIO GOA-60 metre band, 9:OO

RADIO BANGKOK P.M. Mondays and Fridays.

Monday thru Friday: 10:35-11:05 P.M.

Sundays : 7 :00 P.M. ; Wednesdays:

Sundays : 12 :00 noon.

RADIO TAIWAN (FORMOSA)

5:50-6:20 P.M. RADIO OKINAWA

ALTO BROADCASTING SYSTEM

DZAQ, Manila; DZRI, Dagupan City; DZRB, Naga City; DXMC, Davao City-+:oo P.M., Sundays.

TO SOUTH AMERtCA RADIO CXA19-Montevideo, Uru-

guay (exact time and day to be announced).

RADIO AMERICA-Lima, Peru (ex- act time and day to be announced),

-PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

TO AUSTRALIA 2AY-Albury-Sun., 1O:OO P.M. tCH-Sydney-Sat., 1U:15 P.M. 2GF-Grafton-Sun., 9 :XI P.M. 2GN-Goulburn-Sun,, 10:OO P.M. 3AW-Melbourne-Sun., 10:30 P.M. 3BO--Bendigo--Thurs., 4 :15 P.M. .ICA--Cairns-Sun., 10:OO P.M. 4KQ-Brisbane-Sun., 10:30 P.M. 4TO-Townsville-Fri., 10: 15 P.M. 4WK-Warwick-Tues., 9 3 0 P.M. 6IX-Petth-Sun., 10 :OO P.M. 7HT-Hobart-Sun., 10 :24 P.M.

I s I t a SIN to Smoke. 3 Does smoking cause cancer? Is it injurious to health? Should Christians smoke? Here, backed up by statistical PROOF, is what

GOD says about smoking!

by Garner Ted Armstrong

EN YEARS ago, only six brands of cigarettes, all the same size, were the nation’s leading sellers. Today,

however, there are 32 leading brands, which come in 43 varieties and sizes!

T In Spite of the Warnings

This tremendous boom in the tobacco industry has taken place, to a large ex- tent, since 1954, when the US. News and World Report gave results of an exclusive interview with Dr. E. C. Ham- mond, of the American Cancer Society.

Dr. Hammond, when askcd what HE

was going to do in face of the evidence, said, “Well, I can tell you what I’ve done -I’ve switched to a pipe.” Dr. Ham- mond pretty well expressed HUMAN NATURE in that statement. In SPITE of the severity of the warnings, of the gravity of the situation, which will cost thousands of HUMAN LIVES, the average human being wants to “find a way wotmd” the danger.

In an article in The PLAIN TRUTH, for August-September of 1954, I report- ed on the findings of the American Can- cer Society, proving a direct relationship existed between American smoking hab- its and the unparalleled rise in lung and throat cancer.

Fully aware of this fact, I wrote in the article entitled “Should Christians Smoke?,” “It may safely be predicted that the cigarette manufacturers either will find a new and entirely different method of making their products, or else introduce even ‘better’ filters or addi- tives, to smooth the worried brows of millions of perplexed purchasers of ‘pleasure.’ ”

That is exactly what has ha+pened! Almost immediately after the star-

tling announcements of national news magazines, the tobacco manufacturers busily began producing different brands, lengths, varieties, and, to enhance the thing, even crush-proof boxes!

Today, EVEN I N THE FACE of the

hair-raising possibility of dying on a hospital bed with the tentacles of a huge cancer consuming the lungs, pleasure- mad citizens greedily eye the glittering labels of DOZENS of brands, spending more money on the smell of smoke than ever before in our nation’s history!

A Look at America Today

People are smoking more than ever before! WHY? Have they gone insane? In 1952, just before the news was made available of the linkage between smok- ing and cancel, Anieiicans smoked ap- proximately 394 BILLION cigarettes!

Today - several years AFTER that amazing news, official tax figures prove that sales of cigarettes are running ahead of any former year-and if present trcnds continue, smokers will smell the burning ashes of more than FOUR H U N - DRED BILLION cigarettes this year.

We arc a nation gone mad! It seems to make no difference today

WHAT the risks or the dangers are-to a society that is Ikviazg for the moment! Faced with unparalleled national prob- lems of potential RACE riots, a huge crime wave, relaxing of laws to appre- hend and punish criminals, and a starkly terrifying international threat that en- dangers even the very existence of man- kind itself-this nation is on a pleasure craze!

The only real accomplishment of the American Cancer Society’s report was to begin a frantic scramble for new brands of cigarettes, rather than induce very many people to stop smoking!

Look ar the specific details! The report published in 1954 by the

U S . NewJ and World Report showed cigars and pipes were harmful, but were LESS harmful than cigarettes. Even in the face of this evidence, sales surveys show cigars and pipe tobacco are drop- ping-and cigarette sales are rising!

This nation’s habits are rapidly chang- ing-for the worse! For example, equally

distributing the number of cigarettes smoked over the total population, the average American, 15 years of age or older, smoked 630 cigarettes, or 31% packages in 1920. In 1953, by the same system of measurement, the average American smoked 3,500 cigarettes, or 175 packages! Today the amount is still higher-ven in the face of a rapid population rise.

But there’s more! Even as recently as 1951, only two

filter-tip brands were being marketed. 111 1954, die same time the “cancer scare” came (when this magazhe pre- dicted a great rise in “filter type” ciga- rettes), the filter cigarettes still repre- sented less than 10% of all cigarette sales. Today, however, there are NINE- TEEN filter varieties, in three different sizes; regular, long and king size. These nineteea varieties mark up 40%, or nearly half of the total cigarette sales.

Believe it or not, in today’s helter- skelter rush to satisfy the self, the com- mercial retailers of cigarettes are having much difficulty in finding enough space to display the myriad types, and some smaller retailers actually lack enovgh working capital to invest in such a wide variety of cigarettes!

Think of it! In our land today, about 73% of all men smoke, and approxi- mately 33% of women smoke. Taken together, that indicates approximately 53% of the total adult population of the United States smoke.

The Manufacturers’ Dilemma

In an article appearing in a 1954 issue of the U.S. News a d World Report, a spokesman for the giant, billion-dollar tobacco industry (could he have been slightly biased? ) attempted to nullify the stark FACTS proved by the statistical surveys.

But-because of increasing public un- rest over the possibility of a relationship between smoking and cancer, the tobac-

Page 8

co industries were told they could not use such phrases as, “medically sa.fe,” “good for your health,” or advertise in any way that smoking had alzy safe, good or beneficial effect.

The tobacco companies, not to be handcuffed by this stipulation, began to advertise more than ever-but with greatly “watered down” phrases!

Today, we hear that cigaretres are “modern, mild, filtered,” or that they “taste good, like a cigarette should!” Mostly, the ads simply urge people to smoke the particular brand-rather than attempting to give concrete arguments why.

Is it conceivable to you-that if a foremost authority on lung cancer made a definite, concrete, irrefutable state- ment, backed up by actual statistical proof that cigarettes have been proved to be a sure CAUSE of cancer-is it cun- ceivable that this multi-billion dollar in- dustry would disband?

Would this huge industry collapse overnight? Would well over 100 million Americans suddenly stop smoking?

The answer to all rhese questions is an emphatic NO!

Do not be deceived! Manufacturers are far inore concerned with how a prod- uct sells than they are with the health of the user!

The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

The Startling Statistics

Read carefully these statistics! No m o m t of “reasoning around it” and lame excuses can CHANGE them! Here are the facts gathered by America’s fore- most authorities who know.

The survey by the American Cancer Society in 1954 showed the death rate from lung cancer to be more than 400% higher among heavy smokers than among nonsmokers. Deaths attributed to heart disease proved to be 95% high- er for heavy smokers than for non- smokers.

The incidence of death from lung cancer and the increase in smokers has followed a direct parallel pattern! For example: 3400 persons died from can- cer of the lung in 1933; 8800 died in 1943; and by 1952, lung cancer took the lives of the overwhelming number of 22,000! These statistics parallel the rise in percentage of people who smoke.

Dr. Alton Ochsner, New Orleans sur- geon, said, “Unless measures are institut- ed to stop the increase, I predict that by 1970 . . . one out of every ten or twelve men living at that time will have cancer of the lung.”

But in spite of the warnings-the number of people who smoke has in- creased!

Dr. Heller, Direcror of the National Cancer Institute, U.S. Public Health Service, says, “It’s reported from the data in this country that, if one does not smoke, his chances are 1 in 275 of ac- quiring lung cancer. If one is a heavy cigaretre smoker-rwo packages of ciga- rettes or more a day-his chances of dy- ing from lung cancer are 1 in 10.” This amazing statement was made in an ex- clusive interview, published by the U S . News am! World Report in their July 26, 1957 issue.

The article published the Rnown facts of smoking and lung cancer, showing that the dread disease is fatal in more than 95% of all cases. Ldtest figures show the death rate from lung cancer is 64 1i7nes greater among heavy smokers than among nonsmokers.

What It Means

These facts have not changed Ameri- can smoking habits. Publication of actual statistical information, from a study of over 200,000 individuals which proves the relationship between smoking and

reason for the problem-baman natare! That’s why the tobacco industry is

booming as never bejore! But these conclusive facts stand firm!

There is a PROVED relationship between smoking and lurig cancer-no amount of “reasoning” and “rationalizing” will change, alter or do away with that!

What does it mean? It means if YOU

are a smoker, you are smoking in spite of grave warnings about the possible ronsequerices! It means you are deliber- ately subjecting your body, which is meant to be the temple of God’s Holy Spirit, to punishment and possible ago- nizing death!

h l g CdllCer, has ?Jut changed the REAL

But Wha t Does GOD Say ?

“But surely,” one might reason, “the BIBLE doesn’t say anything in plain

language about smoking, does it?” No, the Bible does not contain a direct

command--“THOU SHALT NOT SMOKE! ”

But, for that matter, would mee J ~ O P smoking if it did?

The Bible says, “THOU SHALT NOT KILL! ”

Have men everywhere stopped kill- ing?

Notice! God is just as concerned about the motive behind the act as He is about the act itself!

When Jesus Christ magnified the in- exorable laws of God, He said, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery:’ But I say unto you, that whosoever looketb on a woman to lust after her

HER ALREADY in his heart!” (Matt. 5 :

Jesus said what happened in the heart constituted the sin-AS MUCH AS the literal act itself!

The law of God says, “THOU SHALT

NOT COVET” or “THOU SHALT NOT LUST!” This point demands of you NOT to do a certain thing! By doilzg, or corn- mitting the act-you become guilty of sin!

To LUST after something-to lust after ANYTHING--COnStiNteS sin! And what i s sin? “For sin IS the transgression of the law!” ( I John 3:4.)

James, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all!” (James 2: 10.)

Remember! “. . . to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

HATH COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH

27-28.)

Why Smoke?

Why do people want to smoke? Dr. Heller said, “Nobody has ever contend- ed that smoking is good for one from a health point of view.”

No, they never have! The normal function of the human lungs is drasti- cally impaired by smoking! Not only does smoking prohibit the giving off of poisons which should normally be ex- haled through the respiratory system, but it takes ilz heavy chemicals and tars, placing them on the walls of the lungs, where they are absorbed into the blood

(Please continue on page 16)

IS all ANIMAL FLESH good food?

Were all animals made clean? What about the unclean ani- mals shown to Peter in a vision? Here is a straight-forward Bible answer, giving the New Testament teaching. This subject

is important to your health and well being!

FTER thousands of years of human experience on earth it seems there still is nothing people know

less about than food. Observe a little baby. It seems to think

that anything and everything its little chubby hands can get into its mouth is good to eat-and everything baby gets his hands on goes straight to his mouth! How often must young parents take things away, and try to teach the lovely little bundle of humanity that every- thing one’s hands can touch is not nec- essarily good for the digestion!

A

We’re Just Grown-up BABIES !

Well, one might wonder if any of us has grown up! Most of us adults still seem to think that anything we can stuff in our mouths is good for food. About the only difference between us and the baby is that baby puts into his mouth whatever looks good, and we employ the sense of t a m in deciding what goes into our mouths.

Your stomach is your fuel tank. Your automobile’s fuel tarik is its stomach. You wouldn’t think of pouring just any old thing that will pour into the “stom- ach” of your car. You know that your car was not made to consume and “di- gest” fuel oil, water, milk, or kerosene.

Yes, we are very careful what we “feed” our automobile-and totally care- less and indifferent about what we feed ourselves and our children!

What happens to the food you eat? In the stomach the digestive process takes place. And, once digested--if you have eaten fit and digestible food-a portion of the essential minerals, vita- mins, and carbon-the life-giving prop- erties in the food-filter through the intestinal lining into the blood stream

by Herbert W. Armstrong

to replenish and build up decaying cells, to provide energy, body warmth, good health.

Your body is WONDERFULLY MADE! It is the most wonderful mechanism in the world.

But, just as you must use the right kind of gasoline in the gas tank and the right kind of oils and greases in the other parts of your car or impair its performance, so you must put the right kind of food into the most delicate mechanism of all, your body.

If you tried to oil a fine watch with axle grease you wouldn’t expect the watch to keep good time.

And when you put into your stomach all kinds of foul things which the Great Architect who designed your human mechanism never intended, you foul up your body and bring on sickness, disease, aches, pains, a dulled and clogged-up mind, inefficiency and inability-and you coiiiiiiii suicide 0 1 1 the iristallment plan by actually shortening your life!

The God who designed, created, and made your body has revealed some cssen- tial basic knowledge about what meats will keep that body functioning in tip- top shape. Why does humanity refuse His instructions?

You Are Eating POISON!

You don’t eat every plant that grows out of the ground. Some things that grow UK POISON, not food.

But did you know there are many kinds of poisons? Potassium cyanide will kill you very quickly. Some poisons will result in death within a few hours or a few days. But very few seem to know thcrc arc othcr poisons pcoplc mistakenly eat as foods which result in premature death after continuous usage

for, say, ten, or thirty, or fifty years. The only difference between these

poisons we falsely call foods and potas- sium cyanide is the relative number of minutes, hours, or years it takes to ac- complish its mission.

Just as every plant that God caused to grow out of the ground was not de- signed for food, so it is with animal flesh. Some will say, “Well, if swine’s flesh isn’t supposed to be eaten as food, what did God create swine for!” You might as well ask, what did God create weeds and poison vines for? Everything may have been created for a purpose, but not everything for the purpose of euting.

Now some believe that in the original creation-in the Garden of Eden-God did not intend any animal flesh to be eaten. God’s revelation on that point is vague, and many have argued it both ways. However, God has revealed that certain animal meats are to be eaten as food now, in this age, and Jesus who came to set us an example did eat flesh as well as vegetables and fruits, and so do I.

Wha t the Great Architect of Your Stomach Instructs

When the first written revelation of God came to man through Moses, God instructed man as to which kinds of animal flesh man ought or ought not to eat. You will find this list in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.

This is a basic law-a revelation from God to man about which kinds of flesh will properly digest and assimilate in the human system, and which will not. It is not a part of God’s great SPIRITUAL

LAW, summed up in the Ten Command- ments. Neither is it part of the cere-

Page 10

monial, ritualistic, or sacrificial laws later abolished at the crucifixion of Christ.

It is necessary to recognize that God is the author of all law, and there are countless laws in motion. There are laws of physics and chemistry. You know of the law of gravity. There is the great immutable SPIRITUAL law to regulate man’s relationship to God and to fellow- men-the law of LOVE-the Ten Com- mandments. God gave His nation Israel civil statutes and judgments-NATION- AL laws for the conduct of the national government. Israel was also His church, under the Old Covenant. And for the dispensation then present God gave Israel rituals and ceremonial laws for the conduct of religious services, laws relating to typical and temporary sacri- fices, meat and drink offerings-tempo- rary SUBSTITUTES for Christ and the Holy Spirit. Those laws, of course, ended when the Reality came.

Physical, as Well as Spiritual Sin

And then, we must realize, THERE

BODIES, REGULATING OUR HEALTH. Thi s MEAT qzlestion has to do with these laws.

I know of men who make a hobby of bitterly accusing others of SIN for eating pork, oysters, and clams.

ARE PHYSICAL LAWS WORKING IN OUR

Let us get this straight and clear! W e usually speak of SIN in its spirit-

ual aspect. That is the aspect in which it usually is considered in the New Testament. The Bible definition of it is this: “Sin is t he transgression of t he law.”

The penalty for violation of that spiritual law is DEATH-not the first, or physical death, but the second, or spiritual and ETERNAL death in the “lake of fire” (Rev. 20: 14).

Now the eating of wrong food is not a transgression of this spiritual law, and is not a sin in this sense. To violate the physical laws of health brings the penalty of disease, disability, pain, sickness, and sometimes the first death. It is not nec- essarily spiritual sin.

That is what Jesus made plain, as recorded in Mark 7: 14-23. Here Jesus was speaking of spiritad defilement, not physical health. Not that which enters into a man’s mouth, but the evil that

The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

comes OUT OF HIS HEART, defiles the man SPIRITUALLY. What defiles the MAN-and he is speaking of defiling the MAN, not injuring the body-is transgression of the Ten Commandments - -ev i l thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, blasphemy (verses 2 1-22 ) . These things have to do with the SPIRITUAL law, and now with the physical laws of health. Specifically he was referring to a possible particle of dirt which might get on the food from dirty and unwashed hands-He was not here speaking of clean or an- clean meats at dl. But he was speaking of SPIRITUAL defilements, not physical health.

No Change in Structure of Animal Flesh a t Cross

The animals whose flesh properly di- gests and nourishes the human body were SO MADE IN THE ORIGINAL

CREATION. N o change was ever made in the structure of men’s bodies at the time of the flood, or at the time of Jesus’ death, or any other time. Neither did God make some sudden change in the structure of animal flesh, so that what once was unfit for food will now digest properly and supply the body’s needs.

?‘he unclean animals were UNCLEAN

Notice, before the Flood, Noah took into the ark of the CLEAN animals, to be eaten for food, by SEVENS; but of the unclean, of which he was not to eat during the Flood, by m o ’ s - o n l y enough to preserve their lives. The in- ference is inescapable that the additional clean animals were taken aboard to be eaten for food while Noah and his fam- ily were in the ark.

Prior to the flood clean animals were usually offered as sacrifices. Those who ate the sacrifices often partook of the animal flesh, but vegetables were the main constituent of diet. Af te r the flood God gave Noah not merely the green herb-vegetables-as the major part of diet, but of every type of living creature -clean animals, clean fish, clean fowl. (Genesis 9.3 and Leviticus 11 ) .

This verse does not say that every living, breathing creature is clean and fit to eat, but that I ‘ m the green herb have I given you all things.” God did not give poisonous herbs as food. He

BEFORE THE FLOOD.

gave man the healthful herbs. Man can determine which herbs are healthful, but man cannot by himself determine what flesh foods are harmful. That is why God had to determine for us in His Word which meats are clean. Since the flood every moving clean, healthful, nonpoisonous type of animal life is good for food-just as God gave us the healthful, nonpoisonous herbs.

This does not give us permission to do as we please!

Not Ceremonial Law

The instruction in the 11th chapter of Leviticus, then, is not some ritualistic regulation for the Mosaic period only. Why do so many people have the idea that God is some great unfair monster who imposes foolish hardships on His people? Whatever God instructs us is for OUR GOOD, not some nonsensical restriction for one period to be changed around some different way for other people of a different period.

Swine flesh-pork, ham, bacon, sau- sage, etc.-is simply NOT FIT FOR HU-

with oysters, lobsters, clams, crabs, shrimp, crawfish, dogs, snakes, rats, and skunks.

The only seafood fit for food are fish having both fins and scales. Halibut has both and is clean. Catfish is a skin fish -unclean.

It’s all a matter of what we have be- come accustomed to doing. It seems strange and horrifying to hear that some Orientals eat mice as a delicacy. But many Orientals are horrified to hear chat we eat nasty, slimy, filthy oysters! But some human grown-ups, like little babies, will eat anything they can get their hands on and stuff into their mouths.

At so-called “quality” grocery stores in large towns arid cities, specializing in rare delicacies, you can purchase “de- licious” canned rattlesnake-if you care for it.

So far as I am concerned, you may have my portion if you wish to try it. I do not care to eat it for the same reason I do not eat slugs, skunks, cats, or eels- for the same reason I do not eat poison ivy or weeds. Y e s , and for the same reason I do not put fuel oil mixed with sand in the gas tank of my car!

MAN CONSUMPTION. The same iS true

February, 1958 The PLAIN TRUTH Page 11

The day will come when the learned (so-called) doctors will at last learn that eating greasy hog flesh and other unfit “foods” has been a prime cause of cancer and other deadly diseases.

What about Peter’s Vision?

But what about the sheet of unclean animals shown to the Apostle Peter in a vision? Did this vision change the entire composition of all unclean ani- mals, or of the human apparatus, so that these unfit things suddenly become nourishing food?

NOT AT ALL! The purpose of this vision was NOT

to change God’s food and health laws which have been inexorably in motion from the beginning, but to show Peter “that I should not call any MAN COM-

MON OR UNCLEAN” (Acts 10:28). Why? Because the Jews had been taught to regard Gentiles like unclean animals -to have nothing to do with them.

If is time you fully understood this vision. It may well affect your health, happiness and eternal life. Open your Bible to the tenth chapter of Acts.

Notice that Cornelius was an Italian soldier-an uncircumcised Italian-a Gentile by race. To the strict Jews, he was to be regarded as an unclean man. But God looks on the heart. Cornelius gave “much alms” to the Jewish people (verse 2 ) . God remembered his alms and revealed in a vision that he should send some of his servants to Joppa to contact Peter.

In verse 9, we find Peter was also a man of prayer. While praying on a housetop, Peter became very hungry. Just before noon Peter fell into a trance. In vision he saw heaven opened and a sheet was let down to the earth. This sheet contained “all manner of four- footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air” (verse 12 ) .

Notice this carefully. This sheet con- tained every type of animal imaginable, including wild animals-lions, tigers, hyenas, monkeys, skunks. And creeping things-snakes and lizards, vermin and spiders. And fowl like vultures and crows and eagles!

Peter was shocked by the sight of all these creatures. Then, of all things, God commanded Peter to kill and eat of

these creatures! What did Peter say? “Not so, Lord; for I have neuer eaten

anything that is common or unclean” (Acts 10:14) .

Peter had lived day and night with Jesus for over three years. He certainly understood from Jesus’ teaching that there were some creatures which are simply not fit for human food. That is why that when this vision came ten years after the rituals and ceremonies were abolished at the cross, Peter refused to eat. He knew that God’s law of clean and unclean meats was still in full force and effect!

NOW notice what the voice from heaven told Peter when he refused to eat: “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (verse 15 ) . It does NOT say that what God cleansed were these revolting unclean reptiles, fowl and wild animals. It does say that what God cleansed is not to be called com- mon! But WKAT did God cleanse?

What God Really Cleansed

In this vision which Peter saw, the voice from heaven spoke three times, then the sheet was received up into heaven again. And what did Peter do? “Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he bud seen should mean” (verse 17 ) . He did not immediately assume like so many people that God suddenly changed His laws ten years after the crucifixion!

Now notice what happened! “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, ‘Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them’ ” (verses 19-20).

The voice from heaven in the vision spoke unto Peter three t imes because three gentile men-two servants and a soldier (verse 7 ) -were at that moment on their way to see him! Peter went with them to see Cornelius. T h i s i s w h e n Peter understood the vision! He con- fessed in verse 2 8 *‘. . . God hath shewed me that I should not call any man com- mon or unclean.”

Now Peter understood! WHY don’t all the “popular” preachers understand? Maybe it’s because they are afraid of offending their congregarions and losing their salaries! “What God cleansed” were not those unclean animals, but

those Gentile m e n , formerly regarded as unclean by the Jews.

Those unclean animals in Peter’s vision were used to symbolize the Gen- tile races of m e n . The Jews had been forbidden to associate with them because of their abominable practices. But now this wall of spiritual separation had been broken down and salvation was extended to the Gentiles. Peter finally realized that this was the meaning of the vision and said, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respector of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (verses 34-35 ) .

Yes, to be accepted with God, we must fear Him and work righteousness. What is righteousness? “. . .All thy com- mandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119: 172 ) . And among those command- ments are the laws which tell us which kinds of flesh are clean and which are unclean!

Would You Eat Skunks and Rats?

But suppose God had been trying to tell Peter-and us-that he should eat all the things contained in the sheet that was let down in vision. Would you eat those “creeping things’’-lizards, snakes, spiders? Would you eat skunks and hyenas? Of course you wouldn’t! Why? Because you have your own law of what you think is clean and unclean!

Common seme tells us that God did not intend for us to eat every creature. But we just aren’t willing to let our Creator tell u s which meats will give us lasting health and strength, and which ones are injurious to our bodies, and will eventually bring on more sickness and disease. It is time we let God tell us what is clean and what is unclean instead of using our faulty human reason!

Some people, however, still want to argue with God! One text they will bring up is found in I Timothy 4:1-5. Read it carefully.

Notice that these “doctrines of devils” include “commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created t o be re- ceived with thanksgiving . . .” By whom? “Of them which believe and know the truth.” What is truth? Christ said, “Thy Word is truth” (John 17: 1 7 ) . Then the Bible it.relf reveals the TRUTH concern-

Page 12 The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

ing which meats are good for food. We should not refuse to eat any food which, according to truth, God created to be eaten with thanksgiving. But this does NOT mean that all meats are healthful and fit for the human body!

Notice that the false doctrine is com- manding to abstain from meats which are thankfully received by those who be- lieve and know the truth-who know God’s Word. But God’s Word-the Holy Bible-tells us that there are some meats which are “unclean,” and are not to be received with thanksgiving!

Now consider what verses 4 and 5 tell us: “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is SANCTIFIED by the word of God and prayer.” What does it mean to be SANC-

TIFIED by the Word of God and prayer? “Sanctify” is a word meaning to make

holy, or set apart for a right use or pur- pose-to set apart as fit for human food.

Now which meats has God sanctified for human food? The only passages in all the Bible showing which meats GOD SANCTIFIED are found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. Here you find that it is the ffcleun”- healthful - meats which are good for food. These are the only meats that can be received with thanksgiving and prayer!

There is not a single scripture show- ing that God ever set apart as fit for food any unclean creatures-snails, oys- ters, clams, snakes, octopuses, eels, horses or swine! Yet people eat these creatures without realizing the harm they are do- ing to their bodies.

Paul Instructs Vegetarians

Paul’s letter to the saints at Rome is often quoted as supposed proof that any kind of flesh food is good to eat. But is this what Paul really taught?

Turn to the beginning of the 14th chapter of Romans. Notice what the apostle is writing: “Him that is WEAK in the faith receive ye”-don’t dispute with him and sit in jgdgment on him because of his weak understanding of the faith, Paul continues. “For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak, eateth herbs [vegetables only]” (Romans 14: 1-2 ) .

Of whom is Paul writing? Of those (Please continue on page 14 )

THE SPACE AGE here’s what it means!

( Continued from page 6 1

God” (Againrt Heresaer, Rook IV, chap- ters 38-39-from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume I ) .

How PLAIN A R E THESE WORDS which preserve a knowledge of the destiny of mankind a century after the death of the apostles! Rut where will you find the admission of this truth today?

It has been buried beneath the rubble of superstition by ungrateful men who were “unwilling to be at the outset what

pa.r.rions,” as Irenaeus worded it. Today, in like manner, men who are destitllte of sound reason WANT TO VENTURE FORTH IN CONQUEST OF THE UNIVERSE

BEFORE THEY HAVE BEEN WILLING TO

ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR HUMAN FRAIL- TIES A N D BEFORE THEY HAVE CON- QUERED THEM.

You Must Learn to Obey Gods Laws

God ordained that those who serve they have been created-men subject to Him must do so voluntarily. But if

Engineers at Cape Canaveral, Florida, carefully installing a six-inch test sphere atop the third stage of a Vanguard test rocket. This sphere officials vainly hoped would attain a n orbit around the earth.

-Wide World Photo

the

February, 1958 The PLAIN TRUTH Page 13

universe is to be filled with angels and Sons of God-each with independent powers of will and mind, then it be- comes imperative that there be laws which make for harmony and order in the universe.

These laws God set in motion from the creation. They constitute the “LAW

OF LIBERTY” (James 1:25; 2 : 1 2 ) , BE- CAUSE THEY PROTECT THE PERSONAL LIBERTIES OF THOSE WHO BECOME GOD’S SONS AND BECAUSE THEY GUAR- ANTEE THAT ALL OTHERS WILL HAVE EQUAL LIBERTY.

But liberty first entails the recogni- tion of the responsibility t o use such freedom properly! W e cannot inherit the “glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21) unless we FIRST

BECOME OBEDIENT children here and now, and learn the responsibilities that must be shouldered upon becoming God

Now is the TIME OF TRAINING. “But I say,” wrote Paul on this theme, “that so long a time as the heir is a babe”- which we are now-“he diff ereth noth- ing from a bondman, though he be [potential or future) lord of all; but is [now) under guardians and stewards mtil the Father’s appointed day” (Gal. 4: 1-2, Panin translation). We have not yet achieved the full liberty of the born Sons of God. The time of our training is not yet past. There are vital lessons in human experience yet to be learned.

Granted that the nations have suddenly taken giant strides forward in scientific and technological knowledge, but with every stride forward in material knowl- edge they have taken a backward step in spiritzlal knowledge.

The world has lost this most essential knowledge ever committed to man!

SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE MUST COME

FIRST. It is the only means of controlling material knowledge and protecting man from unleashing powers that would de- stroy himself and the world in which he lives!

But spiritual knowledge and under- standing come only through RECOGNI-

and Lawgiver, that He has the authority to dictate to us concerning right and wrong.

Material knowledge comes naturally to man. He can understand it without

TION THAT GOD IS CREATOR-RULER

Next, engineers gently ease the nose cone of a 72-foot Vanguard test rocket into place at Cape Canaveral, preparatory to the scheduled firing, The six-inch earth satellite rests atop the third stage of the rocket, inside the base of this cone.

acknowledging his Creator. He therefore chooses to neglect the most important knowledge, spiritual knowlcdgc, in order that he can forget that he is merely a mortal, earth-bound creature. He wants to think of himsclf as a god here and now, free to do his own will, free to come and go as he pleases without re- straint.

KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT OBEDIENCE IS

KNOWLEDGE OUT OF CONTROL-dan- gerous knowledge. That is the knowl- edge that has led the world to the brink of total annihilation today. This kind of uncontrolled, undiscipliued knowledge is what has produced “sputnik! ”

What Is Man’s Real Goal?

You have heard THE ERRONEOUS COMMON TEACHING that God made

-Wide World Photo

man spiritually perfect-that man was destined to stay the way he was created if hc obeyed God-that man bud no goal because he was “ALREADY perfect” -but that a powerful Satan slyly ruined the whole plan of God by creeping into the Garden in Eden and inducing the woman to disobey her Maker-that she in turn caused her husband to disobey God-and because of that Jesus Christ had to come to earth to restore the damage wrought by Satan and to restore Adam and Eve as good as they were at the beginning.

No fiction story could be farther from the truth than this fable! God’s Plan i s not a repairing of the dmage . GOD’S PLAN INVOLVES MAKING US IN-

TO SOMETHING FAR GREAThd THAN WE WERE ORIGINALLY CREATED. We are be-

Page 14 The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

that clean meats are of themselves not common,

In the Greek there are two different words used which are often carelessly translated “unclean” or “common.” No- tice that in Acts 10: 14 BOTH OF THESE WORDS are used. The Bible does not repeat itself foolishly. Therefore these two words mean entirely different things.

The Greek word for “unclean” is akarthatos. It means unclem and impure BY NATURE. The Greek word for “com- mon” is koinos, which means polluted

of the Lexicons.) Paul used the Greek word for “com-

mon” throughout Romans 14:14. He did not use the Greek word for “un- clean.” In other words, Paul knew that no clean foods which God has sanctified are by nature polluted, but vegetarians who were WEAK in the faith-WEAK in understanding God’s Word - thought meats should not be eaten. To such a vegetarian--“-”to him,” not to others- that meat seemed t o be polluted, HIS CONSCIENCE defiled the meat for him; he would become upset if he were to eat meat. But that does not make the meat polluted in fact or for everybody else.

Notice Paul’s conclusion: “For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure”-that is, all things that God sanctified and gave us to eat are clean-“but it is evil for that man who eateth with offense. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any- thing whereby thy brother stumbleth . . .” (Verses 20 and 21).

Paul is not recommending eating un- clean meats! Quite the opposite. He is recommending not eating any meat at all in the presence of a vegetarian broth- er if he is offended!

When Is “Clean” Meat “Common”?

The only circumstance in which clean meats are ever common or polluted is when the clean animals have died of themselves or when the blood has not been properly drained. That is why the apostles and elders who gathered at Jerusalem forbade the m e of meat from strangled animals and meat with the blood in it (Acts 15 : 20). This is New Testament teaching for today!

(Please colttinue on page 2 3 )

THROUGH EXTERNAL MISUSE. (See any

iltg created to become member.r of the God Family!!

Notice the argument that Satan-the present ruler of human civilization- used when he spoke to Eve, the mother of the entire human family. He promised her that she and her husband could be- come “as gods” NOW-if only she would do what seemed right to her (Gen. 3: 5 ) .

Eve didn’t know fully what you can now know. It is Jesus Christ who finally came to reveal that only God can make Gods out of men! God is not only Creator, said Jesus. He is also reproduc- ing Himself through making us His ac- tual Sons.

What the DEVIL DID NOT TELL EVE WAS THAT SHE WOULD DIE trying $0 become as God now!

THAT IS THE WHOLE LESSON OF

HUMAN EXPERIENCE. That is the lesson the communists have yet to learn! That is the lesson all people and all nations have yet to learn! The world is teetering on the threshold of universal suicide try- ing to act like God now.

Now is not the time to imperiously act like God. To ACT LIKE GOD NOW

BRINGS DEATH! Now is the time to obey God so that in the future we may be- come God! To be God for all eternity means eternal life!

Is A// Animal Flesh GOOD FOOD?

(Continued from pGge 12 )

who were VEGETARIANS, as well as those who believed in eating both flesh foods and vegetables.

Paul was confronted with the same problem that we encounter today in carrying the gospel to the world. You would be surprised at the number of people who do not eat MEAT or even any animal products-milk, butter, cheese, eggs. Some have meatless days or days on which they will eat fish only. These are all people who, because they are WEAK in the faith, abstain from those clean meats which God originally SANCTIFIED or set apart in His Word for man’s physical nourishment.

The question confronting Paul was not that Christians at Rome contended that all unclean animals had now been

cleansed by God-the common false assumption of today-but the real issue, according to verse two, was over the vegetarian belief held by some that NO MEATS whatsoever should be eaten!

Paul was straightening out the breth- ren on this matter, telling them that none of those clean meats which had been created by God to be received with thanksgiving should be refused. He pointed out to them, however, that it would be wrong for the vegetarians to eat meat if they had doubts about it, thereby defiling their weak consciences. For he wrote, ‘*. . . happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:22-23).

W e must follow what God has re- vealed to us to be right ACCORDING T o THE WORD OF GOD. This does not mean that our consciences always tell us what is right-not a t all. W e have to con- tinually study to learn what is right and wrong. But God thinks more highly of a vegetarian who might sincerely and conscientiously deny himself the clean meats, because he does not know the full truth, than He does a person who would do the right thing according to the letter, but who really believes in his heart that he is doing wrong.

So “to him”-the vegetarian--“that esteemeth anything to be common, to him”-the vegetarian--“it is common.” That is, it seems so to him. But it is not common in fact, nor to us, for we know that ALL clean meats are good for food. That is why Paul wrote: “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing common of itself” ( Romans 14: 14).

Notice that in this verse Paul used, according to the margin of the King James Version, the Greek word for “common,” not the Greek word for “un- clean.” Why?

“Common” Does Not Mean “Unclean”

Many have carelessly assumed that Paul is writing about unclean meats in this 14th chapter of Romans. He is not! He is writing about the difference be- tween vegetarians who regard that clean meats are common, and those who know

Here’s H a S

OW to Maintain ound Mind!

Why are frustration and mental collapse on the increase? Why are millions searching for ”peace of mind”? Here’s the plain,

NE AMERICAN out of ten is des- tined to be a mental patient during his lifetime! And the 0

ratio is constantly increasing! What‘s WRONG?

Why haven’t the ministers, the doc- tors, the psychiatrists been able to do anything to slow down the rapid growth of mental illness? Do they really have the answer?

In the December issue, we found that most men are stumbling through this chaotic, war-torn world in a state of aloneness-totally CUT OFF from a real understanding of their purpose in life and from direct contact with their Creator who ordained that purpose. NOW we need to learn HOW to estabhsh the direct contact with Almighty God which will enable us to utilize His great POWER in our lives!

Man is Born INCOMPLETE

When God first created man upon earth, He said: “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make an help meet for him” (Gen. 2:18). So God created woman to be man’s wife, helper and companion. Without her, a man is physically incomplete.

But man still lacked spiritual strength, for the very first thing Adam and Eve did was to yield to the strong tempta- tion of Satan and disob.ey their God and only Father (Gen. 3 ) . And through the apostle Paul, God indicts every single one of their descendants for disobeying God and REBELLING against their Maker! “For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3 : 23 ) .

Most men don’t like to admit it, but man-left to himself-is frmtratecl, wretched, and miserable. Even man’s “wisdom” turns out all WRONG. The Almighty says: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death” (Pro.

simple ANSWER! by Roderick C. Meredith

14: 1 2 ) . The ”enlightened” modern man is about to PROVE that statement by blasting himself off the face of this earth!

Our Creator says: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God’ ( I Cor. 3 : 19). And again: “The Lord know- eth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain” (verse 20) . Yes, this world’s leaders have certain intelligence and wis- dom, but it always ends up in suffering and death-in VAIN! Man has NEVER been able to solve his own social, re- ligious, economic and political prob- lems without recourse to war-mass murder and destruction!

But the real question is, WHY? W h y do man’s ways ALWAYS end in suffering and death? What is wrong with man‘s mind-his reasoning powers?

Gad gives us the answer to these vital questions--if we will only heed.

“Because the carnal mind is ENMITY

against God: FOR IT IS NOT SUBJECT 1.0 Y H ~ LAW OF Gou, neither indeed can be” (Roin. 8:7).

There it is-IF you can grasp it!

W e Need God’s Mind!

God has WISDOM. His mind-His laws-His ways are SOUND. Man has always been frustrated and incomplete because he has refused to base his thuughts and plans on the revealed WILL

and LAW of his All-Wise Creator. Normal man has what the Bible calls

a “carnal” or JZeshly mind-which dis- counts the spiritual revelation of God. This mind is ANTAGONISTIC to the law of God. It is antagonistic to the MIND

of God-because God’s law is simply an expression of His mind, His will, His churucter.

By rejecting God’s rule through His LAW, man Iejects God. He is then left to blunder through life with his currzd mind-which is basically incomplete and unsound. His fate is certdin: “For to be

carnally minded is DEATH” (Rom. 8: 6 ) . “But,” Paul continues, “to be spirit-

ually minded is l i f e and peace.” But man must have God’s Spirit to be spiritually minded. Without it, he is carnal-cut off from God. “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (verse 9 ) .

Man’s mind is basically unsound with- out God’s Spirit. Man is INCOMPLETE

without God’s mind and character im- planted through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

How You Can Have God’s Mind

In this mixed up, wretched world, yozl are potentially capable of receiving the wisdom, the understanding, the joy and peace that comes ONLY by God’s power dwelling within you through His Spirit. But you will never receive this tremen- dous spiritual help unless you are willing to yield to God’s mind and will, and OBEY His laws.

You must be willing to let God be GOD!

You must quit arguing, “reasoning” and rebelling against what the Almighty commands in His Word. You must say, as Jesus did, “Not my will, but THINE, be done” (Luke 2 2 : 4 2 ) .

With an open mind, you should begin to really STUDY the Bible. Alrhough you will be tempted many times to use hu- man reasoning and trick arguments to get around what the Bible says, you must be honest with yourself and with God. Y o u must let the inspired scriptures cor- rect and reprove you-for which they were intended.

You should never take parts of certain verses-out of context-and try to use them to disprove many other plain, clear scriptures. Rather, YOU must remember, as Jesus said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY word of God” ( L u k e 4 : 4 ) . Henceforth, you must ac-

Page 16 The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

cept the Bible as the absolute AUTHOR-

ITY in your life. And you must worship and OBEY the

God revealed i n the Bible, the God of Creation, the God of Jesus Christ and the apostles.

Taking this tremendous step will in-

volve a change of mind called repent- ance in the Bible. It simply means that you have really come to see that your own ways-and the ways of this world- are wrongl and that you are at last will- ing to QUIT following these ways and to follow and OBEY God’s ways instead.

Repentance is one of the two im- portant steps you must take in order to receive God’s Spirit. The inspired Peter said: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). After repentance, God commands you to be baptized as an outward sign that you are willing to completely BURY your carnal self-will, and surrender com- pletely to Him. (If you have any ques- tions about baptism, be sure to write us for Mi-. Armstrong’s free booklet on If Water Baptism.”)

Then, after you have made the vital decision to let God be your GOD-to surrender to Him-to worship Him-to obey Him-then God has unalterably PROMISED to give you the priceless gift of His Spirit! You will then begin to receive direct help and wisdom and POWER from your Maker!

God’s NATURE Within You

AS you yield to God’s mind and will,

as you study His Word to acquire His attitude and thoughts, as you pray to Him for wisdom and guidance, you will be given an ever increasing amount of His mind, nature and power!

Notice the “fruits” or results that God’s Spirit will begin to manifest with- in you: “The fruit of the Spirit is l ow , joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal. 5:22-23).

Here is an abundant supply of LOVE! --of JOY! of PEACE!

Do you realize what this world i s missing? Do you begin to grasp how much better a life man could live if he were REALLY in touch with his Creator?

Another description of the character- istics imparted by God’s Spirit is found in I1 Timothy 1:7. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of POWER, and of LOVE, and of a SOUND MIND.”

God’s Spirit gives us a spiritual love that fulfills His law. He defines this love in I John 5 : 3 1 “For this is the love of God, that we KEEP his commandments: and his commandments are not griev- ous.”

If you ever plan to be converted and receive the blessings that come through God’s Spirit, NEVER try to use human reasoning to get around the necessity of OBEYING God’s law as revealed in the T e n Commandments. This is the BASIC thing in the true Christian’s character: a willingness to OBEY God and His righteous laws. God will not save any soul that He cannot RULE. Never forget that!

The spiritual power available through

God’s Spirit is the power needed for SELF-MASTERY-for accomplishment and saccess. It is power to enable you to control wrong emotions, ideas and lusts.

The sound mind which comes through God’s Spirit means just what it implies. It is a truly BALANCED mind. While carnal-minded men blunder through life guided only by human reasoning, fancy and philosophy-going the way that irr- variably ends up in suffering, death and eventually HUMAN ANNIHILATION, the man with God’s Spirit is going an en- tirely different way-a way directed by obedience to God’s law, a way moti- vated by the great purpose of human existence.

The coltverzed man is able to go through life hand in hand with His Maker. Through study and prmyer, he comes to really understand God’s will- His laws-His great purpose. And by yielding to God, he is motivated and empowered by the Holy Spirit in the personal fulfillment of that purpose.

He is a balanced man-a whole man -united with and guided by the SUPREME MIND of the universe. This is because he is willing to let God’s mind RULE his mind. He is willing to let God be GOD. He is therefore willing to obey God-to KEEP His commandments.

This sound m i n G t h i s balanced, whole man was described hundreds of years ago by the wisest mortal who ever lived. Under inspiration, Solomon wrote: “The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God and ke@ his command- ments; for this is the WHOLE man” (Eccl. 12: 13, Jewish trans.).

Is It a SIN to Smoke?

(Continued from page 8 ) stream. This means your physical health is being impaired-REGARDLESS of the arguments of “long-lived” men who smoked until they were 90!

After the cancer scare, cigarette manu- facturers tried to successfully remove the “tars” from the cigarette smoke. They tried to produce an effective “filtering process” that would completely remove the “harmful tars” from the smoke. These tars were found to have been cancerigenic in certain rats, and there-

fore were linked as a possible irritant which would produce cancer in the hu- man lungs.

BUT! If the cigarette manufacturers were to design the “perfect” filter, NO SMOKE WOULD GET THROUGH-THEN WHY SMOKE?

Dr. Heller was asked, “If you had a perfect filter you really wouldn’t be smoking, would you?” To this he re- plied, “Taken to its ultimate conclusion, that’s correct. With a perfect filter no smoke would get through-just hot air” (emphasis mine).

People assume smokers use the tobac- co weed because they desire merely the effects of the nicotine-the drug con-

tained in the tobacco leaf. But, the find- ings of the American Cancer Society prove otherwise!

Dr. Heller said, “. . . Apparently it’s the tars that give him (the smoker) that sense of satisfaction” (emphasis mine).

With the inhalation of the tar-laden smoke, these tiny particles attach them- selves to the cellular walls of the myriad tiny “bubbles” of membrane, or air pock- ets, in the lungs. Through the entire lungs, an extensive system of capillaries constantly picks up the oxygen and quickly carries it to all parts of the body. The returning blood is supposed to carry waste material, which is then expelled through the lungs. These tars, affixing

February, 1958

themselves to the walls of the lungs, are absorbed (chemically) into the blood stream. The actual “pleasure” derived by the smoker is the supplying of these tars, carrying nicotine and various chemicals, to every cell of his body!

I used to smoke. I KNOW all the argu- ments about why a person thinks he should go on smoking. I tried to use them all-and even tried to make up some original ones of my own.

But now, years later, I also know smoking is not only PHYSICALLY harm- ful, and now proved deadly dangerous, but that the DESIRE to smoke-the LUST for the smell of burning tobacc-the URGE to SATISFY the body and its carnal, physical desires, is a SPIRITUAL sin as well!

Since smoking is plainly and admit- tedly seeking gratification of the sensual, physical desires of the sow-it violates the command of God against coveting, and against idolatry!

Smokers LUSI’ for satisfaction. Per- haps you feel that’s an “ugly” word! But it’s TRUE! And, even if You are not a heavy smoker-you cannot argue around it, or reason it away, YOU KNOW IT IS

LUST! Your Bible says you should become

“obedient children, not fashioning your- selves according to the former LUSTS in your ignorance” ( I Per. 1: 1 4 ) .

Smoking a Double Sin

Smoking is a physical sin! Let’s under- stand why.

Christ showed it was sin that had crippled he nian at the pool called Bethesda, in Jerusalem. In healing the man, Jesus said, “SIN NO MORE!” (John 5 : 14). Healing, revealed your Savior, is the forgiveness of sin! (Matt. 9:2-7). But what kind of sin? Physical sin!

There are certain phyJical laws which God has set in motion. Those laws regu- late your body, your health, your life! Take, for an example, the law of gravity. It is real-although you can’t see it, you KNOW you’ll get hurt of you violate it by a sudden fall! The penaky is physkal pain and possible injury.

And so it is with your health! If you put wrong foods into your body, or even too much of the RIGHT foods, you SIN

against your body-and there is a penal-

The PLAIN TRUTH Page 17

iLITERATURA EN ESPAROL! Nos place anunciar que ofrecemos las siguentes obras: iEXISTE DIOS? PREDESTINACION-<La enselia la Biblia? LAZAR0 y el RICO ;La Verdad acerca de la NAVIDAD! La Llaue del Libro de APOCALIPSIS iQu6 es la FE? iPuede Salvarle Su Propia FE? iSANA nios Hoy Did? CCua‘ndo debemos tomar la COMUNION! ~ C u k l es el Dia de REPOSO del Nuevo Testamento? Dirijase a1 Departamento de Espaiiol, P.O. Box 910, Pasadena, California.

ty exacted! In some cases, the penalty is only temporary-but in others, it may mean permanent injury, or death!

Smoking stands PROVED to be a defi- nite HARM to the body, as well as a defi- nite RISK uf getting lung cancer!

But notice further. “What? know ye not that y o w body is the temple of the Holy Spirit . . . and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price, there- fore GLORIFY God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s’’ ( I Cor. 6:19-20). Does it glorify God-honor God our Creator and the One who gives us every clean breath of air we breathe -are we being obedient to Him, serv- ing Him, glorifying HIM when we lust for the smell of a burning weed?

God says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or WHATSOEVER ye do, DO ALL to the glory of God!” ( I Cor. 10:31). Far from glorifying God, the use of tobacco - IN ANY FORM - harms the

body, and is offensive, not pleasing, to others around you! Your Bible shows such an act to be sin!

But there is ANOTHER sin involved! Just as Dr. Heller said, a smoker can

hardly claim he smokes to satisfy other^! He does it, admittedly, to SATISFY THE SELF! It is a desire, a thirst for SELF- gratification. It is LUST!

It is the popular way, the “way of the crowd” to SATISFY the self! As the article already quoted said, “. . . it’s the tars that give him that sense of satisfa- tion . . . They seem to be the important constituent in the satisfaction to the user” (emphasis mine).

But God demands of every Christian that they come out of this pleasure-mad, SELF-satisfying age! (Rev. 18: 4, Rom.

Your Bible describes today’s citizen as a person who is a “lover” of HIS OWN

SELF, MORE than a lover of God! (I1

12:2).

Page 18 The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

-He willDESTROY us! (ICor. 3:16). Do YOU smoke? Are you going to CONTINUE to

smoke-in spite of plain PROOF that it is a physical AND a spiritual sin? You should be constantly WEEDING OUT the degenerating habits such as smoking, replacing them with GOOD habits.

Yes, You C A N Quit !

“Sonny,” counseled the elderly man to his grandchild, “don’t ever take up smok- ing! ”

“But WHY, Grandpa?” asked the child, “YOU smoke! ”

“I know it, I know it!” he snapped out, “but that’s exactly why you should never start. I can’t quit!”

Thousands have said the same thing. Many smokers would like to quit, but feel they are unable! God labels smok- ing as a SIN, and tells us, “Let not SIN therefore REIGN {rule) in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the LUSTS thereof” (Rom. 6: 12 ) . God has decreed that “SIN SHALL NOT HAVE WMINION

OVER YOU” (Rom. 6: 14) . And by ordering that NO sin, regard-

less of what it may be, can “lord it over” you, God extends a definite, specific PROMISE to any person who redly WANTS to quit!

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to CLEANSE us from all anrighteoasness” ( I John 1 : 9 ) . GOD HAS OBLIGATED HIMSELF TO CLEANSE US FROM SMOK- ING when w e repent, acknowledge our sin, and CALL ON HIM for the extra help we need!

YES, YOU CAN QUIT! God says He’ll HELP you quit-if

you sincerely want to, and realize He commands you to! But always remember Lot’s wife! Once God HAS intervened, as He has promised He would, and you have SUCCEEDED in rooting out the sin of smoking, don’t ever tarn. to it again! “For it, after they have escaped the pol- lutions of the world through the knowl- edge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning” (I1 Pet. 2 : 2 0 ) .

May God grant YOU will take action, and obey the laws H e has given for our GOOD!

Tim. 3 : 2-4). But remember, Jesus plain- ly showed it was the attitude of the heart that was important-as well as the act itself! What is the a t t i t d e , the de- Jire of one who lusts for the effects of tobacco? It is one of coveting, of inor- dinately desiring that which is harmful!

Paul sternly warned the Christians at Ephesus, “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetocls man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God’ ( Eph. 5 : 5 ) . Notice it! Covetousness is also idolatry-put- ting an object in place of God! And James tells us if we break even ONE

point we’re guilty of all! The evil desire of the mind-LUST-

ING after tobacco-becomes a matter of spiritual s i n - o f sin against character, as well as harm to the physical body!

Your Bible reveals lust to be a SPIRI- TUAL SIN!

SMOKING IS THEREFORE A PHYSICAL

AND A SPIRITUAL SIN!

What Can You Do About It?

Jesus Christ said He came not only to bring us life-but LIFE MORE ABUND-

ANTLY. He wants us to be HAPPY, and to enjoy the right and proper use of the physical senses! It’s a real JOY to eat a good, healthful, home-cooked meal when you’re hungry-and it’s right! It’s a real JOY to see the beauty in nature God has created, or to hear beautiful music. The PROPER enjoyment of the senses is not wrong. But the right zlse of our fleshly senses always BUILDS UP, and is con- structive-never tears down, damages, inflicts injury, brings into danger of death, or turns others from you. It never dissipates!

God is calling YOU OUT of this world! (James 4 : 4 ) . He does not want you to be conformed to the pleasure seeking customs of this present age! (Rom. 1 2 : 2 ) . Peter called on those present on the Day of Pentecost to RE- PENT (Acts 2 : 38). Later, he said, “Re- pent ye therefore, and be CONVERTED, that your sins may be blotted out . . .” (Acts 3:19).

But what does it mean? Was Peter simply using “spiritual

phraseology” because he was a “preach- er?“ NO! Far from it! Your Creator in- tends that ALL should repent and be

CONVRRTF~! (IT Pet. 3 : 9 ) . To be con- verted means to be changed!

But the CHANGE is not only discon- tinuing the world’s pagan customs, both religious and social-but a complete change of the individual! “That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts . . .” The “old man,” or the carnal minded person lives according to the whims and fancies of his own impulses, poking at himself whatever he thinks is temporarily pleas- ing-not realizing the dire consequences of sin! “And be renewed (converted) in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holi- ness” (Eph. 4: 22-24) .

Jesus said, “I tell you . . . except ye REPENT, ye shall all likewise PERISH” (Luke 13:3).

It’s time to wake up! It’s time to seri- ously evaluate your life. It’s time to look around you-see what this world and its ways are leading you to-time to ask yourself where you’re going!

God now “COMMANDETH ALL MEN EVERYWHERE TO REPENT” (Acts 17: 30) .

Smoking is only one more evidence of the lengths to which men will go to satisfy themselves! The basic cause is HUMAN NATURE! There “is a way that seemeth RIGHI‘ to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14: 1 2 ) .

Bur God proposes to CHANGE human nature!

A true Christian is one who has the very Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9), who is letting Christ LIVE HIS LIFE in the repentant Christian! (Gal. 2 : 2 0 ) .

Jesus Christ will live the same life in YOU that He did live on this earth! “Jesus Christ the SAME, yesterday, today and forever!” (Heb. 13:8). Can you possibly imagine Christ yielding to the LUST of the flesh-having a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth? No, you certainly cannot!

When you come to know the truth- you belong to God! We have been “bought with a price” and literally be- come HIS PROPERTY!

Can we do what w e pleare with His property?

NO! God says if we defile His temple

What Is the PLACE that Jesus Is Preparing?

Here is a thorough, revealing explanation of a greatly misunderstood text. Did Jesus say Christians go to

ANY today believe Jesus told His disciples that Christians will spend eternity in “man-

sions” in heaven. They quote His words in John 14:l-4.

Did Jesus really say that our reward is a mansion in heaven? Let’s see.

What Is the Father’s House?

M

In His Father’s house, Jesus said plain- ly, there were many “mansions.” If it had not been true, He said, He would have told us. The Greek word translated “mansion” means in more modern English, room, a place of staying, an abode, a chamber. So in the Father’s house there are a number of rooms or chambers.

But what is the Father’s house? What does the Bible declare the Father’s house to be?

When in the temple, Jesus said to the Jews who were selling doves and cattle therein: “Make not my FATHER’S HOUSE

an house of merchandise” (John 2: 16) . Here is a simple Bible definition of

the Father’s house. The temple at Jerusalem was an

earthly type (Heb. 8:5) of the Father’s house in heaven. Luke 19:46 and Isaiah 56: 7 also quote the Lord as saying of the temple: f fMy hozlse is a house of prayer . . .I’ So the temple at Jerusalem in Christ’s day was a type of the Father’s house in heaven.

But did the temple have many “man sions” or rooms and chambers in it?

Certainly! In turning to Jeremiah 3 5 : 2 , we

read this: “Speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into OM of the chambers.” In the foiirth verse of the same chapter, we notice that different chambers were for persons of different rank. Hanan, a man of God, had his chamber or room “by the chamber of the princes . . . which was

heaven? by Herman L. Hoeh

above the chamber of . . . the keeper of the door.”

The various chambers or “mansions” corresponded to the ranks of the per- sons residing in them. Each room of the temple-a type of the Father’s house -not only designated the residence of each official, but also indicated his posi- tion or ofice, whether he was a door- keeper or prince.

Even the Bible commentator, Adam Clarke, notes in his commentary: “Our Lord alludes here to the temple, which was called the home of God, in the pre- cincts of which there were a great num- ber of chambers.” See also I Kings 6:5; Ezra 8:29 and Jeremiah 36: 10.

It Is NOT Heaven

Nowhere does the Bible call “heaven” the Father’s house. The Father’s house is being bzlik IN heaven, but it is not heaven! Heaven is never said to have “mansions.”

The ancient tabernacle built under Moses had two compartments, the inner, called the Holy of Holies, being an ex- act picture of the throne of God-of heaven, itself. I t had no mmsions. Read Hebrews 8 : 5 and 9:l-7 to see exactly what the pattern of heaven is like.

No, Jesus was not referring to heaven. He is referring to a place being prepared in heaven.

What Is the Place Prepared?

Now consider the remainder of Jesus’ conversation with the disciples.

Jesus said: “I go to prepare a place for you.” We learn from other scriptures that Jesus did go to heaven, to the right hand of the Father, where He now acts as our “High Priest” (Heb. 9: 11 ) .

Do you grasp the significance of that? A part of the function of the office of

High Priest is the preparation of a place for each of us as Jesus promised the dis-

ciples. But notice this very carefully: the prepamtion of each place is occurring in heaven, but Jesus did not say that the places were a part of heaven. A wife may prepare her meals h the kitchen, but the meals are not a part of the kitch- en.

Since heaven, the place of God’s throne, does not have abodes or man- sions, just what are the “places” that are being prepared? Does the Bible give any texts telling us what is being pre- pared?

There are only two texts in the Bible which tell us what is being PREPARED. The first is in Matthew 25:34. Here Christ said: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom, prppared for you from the foundation of the world.” The other text is in Revelation 21:2: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God OUT OF HEAVEN, prepMed $6 a bride adorned for her husband.”

The temple of Jerusalem standing in Jesus’ day, was a type of the Kingdom bf God and the city New Jerusalem.

The Bible says the only places that are prepared are the Kingdom of God and the New Jerusalem. Since it is the kingdom and the holy city that are final- ly prepared for us all, then what Jesus is preparing for each of us must be OUT own position in the Ringdom and in the new city Jewsalem.

Now it’s plain why Christ alluded to the tem@e as an example of the King- dom of God and of the new Jerusalem. The temple had rooms which served as offices for the various residents holding different ranks. In the same way, each of us will have our own personal place or office in the holy city, in accordance with how well we use the talents God has given us in this life. The more we over- come in this life, the more honorable will be our place in the new Jerusalem

Page 20 The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

and the greater will be our officc of responsibility in the kingdom.

The Father’s House Comes to Earth!

Revelation 2 1 : 2 plainly proves that the holy city-the Father’s house or home, since H e will make it His place of future residence (Rev. 21:3 and 22:3)-is one of the two things that Jesus is preparing now in heaven. Both God the Father and His Son have been fashioning it, since what ever the Father does, the Son does likewise (John 5 : 19). Since the city comes down out o f hemen fully prepared, then it must have been prepared in heaven, just as Jesus said He would do.

Notice, too, that the city comes out of heaven. It does not say that we ,go to heaven.

Now let’s understand what the Bible says about the kingdom which is in preparation in heaven, and which will come to earth. Jesus returned to heaven to receive the kingdom (Luke 19: 1 2 ) . He must be preparing it while acting in the office of High Priest. Since the king- dom is prepared for all of us to inherit, then the particular place Christ is pre- paring for each of us must be our own position or office in that kingdom. Place means position, ofice, rank, as well as geographical location. Our place or posi- tion in the government of God will de- pend on the office we hold. Christ has first place, as He is King of kings. W e shall all have secondary places, lesser po- sitions under Him.

The kingdom of God is the govern- ment of God, the members of which are to be born of God. Being born of God makes the entire kingdom, then, the family of God. “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). That is why Jesus used the ancient temple as a physical type of the spiritual family or kingdom of God.

Now it is becoming obvious why our place or position in God’s government has had to be prepared in heaven by Jesus. W e could not receive the Holy Spirit, thc only means by which we can enter the kingdom, until Christ ascend- ed (John 16:7). Christ prepares our place or position in the kingdom by be- ing our High Priest, interceding for us and by giving us the Spirit of God. The

places or positions -the responsibilities of office-are being prepared by training us to fill those offices. Jesus, as our High Priest, has been calling, justifying and perfecting each of us for His king- dom so that when the kingdom of God comes to this earth (Mat. 6:10), each position or place in it will be fully pre- pared by having one of us fill that par- ticular office. If Christ were not High Priest in heaven, the kingdom would not be prepared. It would have none to fill its offices.

“I Will Come Again”

Although Christ had to go to heaven He said: “If I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Here is Jesus’ own promise that He is coming again! No- tice, it does not say anywhere in these verses that we go to heaven.

It says just the opposite. Jesus will come to earth!

Jesus will return from heaven in clouds. W e are going to meet Him in the air ( I Thess. 4: 15-17). At that time

Jesus will give us our place or position in the kingdom, according to how well we do with what we have been given. Some are going to have a smaller reward or responsibility because they have not grown spiritually as they ought. Study the parable in Luke 19:12-27.

Having received our responsibilities, we shall descend witb Jesus to the Mount of Olives that same day. It is that same day that Christ comes to earth, not returns to heaven (Zechariah 14:4). He is coming to set up the kingdom on the earth! Since we inherit the kingdom, we, too, will be on this earth, not heaven.

So Christians are not going to heaven after all. W e are to be with Jesus here on this earth-“that where I m, there ye may be also.” W e shall be ruling with Christ on earth over the nations (Rev. 20:4). And after that, the new Jeru- salem comes down out of heaven to the new earth. Even the Father Himself will dwell among us here on the new earth where we shall live and reign forever (Rev. 22:3-5).

No wonder Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth (Mat. 5 : 5 ) .

THE BIBLE ANSWERS

FROM OUR READERS

What does ”sanctification“ mean? The common teaching today is that

a person who is “sanctified” IS spiritually perfect-that he is incapable of sinning!

“Sanctification” is glibly called an “ex- perience” or a “second work of grace,” and it always must follow what is called the “justification” of the individual. It is further contended that this experience removes the “Adamic nature,” or the “nature to sin.”

Is this what the Bible teaches? First, notice the definition of “sancti-

fication”: It iiitfaiis “LO wnxc ia te LO a sacred

office or calling,” to “separate from com- mon use,” to “devote or dedicate to God’s service,” according to the Biblical and English dictionaries. That means that any person who is set apart for a holy

use or purpose is sanctified. But that does not mean that person cannot sin!

Notice what your Bible says in I Corinthians 7: 14: “for the UNBELIEVING HUSBAND 1s SANCTlFlED by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband.” Even an unbeliever can be sanctified!

Notice again what Scripture reveals about sanctification: “Before I formed thee in the womb,” said God to Jere- miah, “I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1 : 5 ) .

Did you grasp that? Jeremiah was sanctified before he was born! He was set apart to a special office-that is what sanctification means-sanctified for the

(Please continue 0.12 page 24)

Where Is the TRU Today?

Here i s the answer to the repeated questions of you have been asking!

by Herman L. Hoeh

T IS TIME you knew the truth about

Does Jesus Christ have many dif- ferent evangelists and church denomi- nations-each teaching a different “gos- pel” and practicing different doctrines- doing His work?

Is Mr. Armstrong’s ministry just an- other one-man evangelistic work? Or is this work the work of God‘s Church- T H E Church of G o a w h i c h Jesus fot~nded? Who gives us “the right to be right”?

Could Jesus Christ be using, guiding and directing this work if it were not the work of His Church?

It is time you knew how to recognize what the true Church is and which one it is! It’s time you knew how, when, and where this religious babylon of hun- dreds of denominations started. The truth will come as a shock!

this work. I

Only ONE Church

Every thinking person-every denom- ination-realizes that, a t some time in history, there has been a great apostasy or falling away from original TRUTH.

Many may dispute the time of its oc- currence, but they know that it hap- pened!

Jesus Christ did not found many de- nominations! Christ said, “I will build my Church.” H e did build it! ONE Church, commissioned to preach and to publish His Gospel-the very Message He brought from God-to all the world!

But what do we find today? Hundreds of different and disagreeing sects, all founded by MEN, each professing to teach the truth, yet contradicting and disagreeing with all the others-a mod- ern religious babylon!

And what is a “sect”? According to Webster, it is “a group that has broken away from the established Church.” Who established the Church?--Christ! Today’s host of sects or denominations have

BROKEN AWAY from that established parent Church-they teach different doc- trines!

Christ’s instruction to His people is, “Come out from among them, and be ye sepurate” (I1 Cor. 6; 17) . Yes, Christ commands you to separate from these sects founded by men!

In His final prayer for His ONE

Church, not for the many sects or de- nominations masquerading as the true parent Church, Jesus prayed: “I pray for them: I pray not for the world . . . Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be ONE, as we are. I have given them thy word, and the world hateth them, because they are not OF the world, even as I am not OF the world. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are lzot

OF the world, even as I am not OF the world” (John 17:9-16).

Jesus did command HIS BODY-the collective Body through which the Spirit of God does the WORK of God-to go into all the world and preach and pub- lish His Gospel. But those of His Church are described as being strangers and foreigners in this world-as AMBASSA-

DORS for Christ - representing HIS Kingdom which is foreign to this world!

T i e religious sects of Jesus’ day were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes, the Samaritans. Jesus joined none of them. On the contrary, He called His disciples out of them-out of all organi- zations of men. The Greek word “eccle- sia” translated “Church” in English has the meaning of “called-out ones.”

What Is the True Church?

Very few really know what the true Church is.

The true Church is the collective body of individuals, called out from the ways of this present world, who have totally

E Church which thousands

surrendered themselves God, and who, through become the begotten (Rom. 8:9).

to the rule of the Holy Spirit,

sons of God

Jesus purchased the Church by shed- ding His own blood for it (Acts 20:28), The true Church is not some politically organized denomination which one joins or becomes a inember of in order to be “saved.” Jesus did not die for some one religious organization called a church. Joining a local church congregation does rlot put you into God’s Church.

You can’t join the true Church; only God can put you ;*to k t by HiJ Spirit, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into {put into) one Body” ( I Cor. 12:13). God makes you a member of His Church-if you surrender your life to Him-even if you have no local church with which to fellowship.

The Church is called the body of Christ because it is a spiritaal organ- ism whose LIVING, ACTIVE HEAD is Jesus Christ, in the same sense that the husband is head of the wife (Eph. 5 : 2 3 , 31). How does one enter this true Church of God?-this spiritual union? Notice:

When God’s Church first began on the day of Pentecost, Peter gave the an- swer to this question. “REPENT and BE BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2: 38).

We have to realize our own ways are wrong, that they have brought on war and suffering about us. W e must be will- ing to repent and completely turn from our former ways and let God rule our lives. Then we should be baptized. Paul cxplains i t in Roriiaris 6:l-6 as the Out- ward sign of our willingness to com- pletely b w y our old self in a watery grave and come up to walk in newness of life-following Jesus’ example.

Then we are promised the “gift” of

Page 22 The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

the Holy Spirit to guide us in obeying and following Christ-our real Lord and Master. This gift puts us into the Church, as we read in I Cor. 12:13.

Church Grows in Truth Before He ascended to the Father,

Jesus prayed that His Church would be kept ONE in the Father’s name. “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be ONE, as we are” (John 17: 11).

The true Church-the “Church of God” ( I Cor. 1 : 2 )-is not many divid- ed quarreling denominations, but ONE

Church, composed of many scattered members, ONE Church united in Spirit, mind, attitude and heart because its members have totally surrendered their wills to God and have yielded to correc- tion and reproof from the Word of God -the Bible.

No denomination could be the true Church, because none has been willing to admit where ir has bee11 wrung, none has received God’s correction, none has allowed the Holy Spirit to guide it into truth. The Cliurch which Jesus is build- ing is composed of those scattered indi- viduals who have God’s Holy Spirit, who admit it when thcy arc wrong, as the apostle Peter did when he made a seri- ous mistake (Gal. 2 : 11 ) .

Now notice Jesus’ promise in John 16: 13. He would send the Spirit of truth who “will GUIDE you INTO all truth.”

Here is the KEY which proves who are in God’s Church. It is composed only of those who are growing into truth as God reveals it. The mnment anyone ceases to GROW, but wants to retain only what he had five or ten years ago, from that moment on the Holy Spirit ceasej t o live in him.

To Be Scattered Now let’s notice what was prophesied

to happen to the Church. This true Church of God was to be

PERSECUTE-SCATTERED! “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you,” said Jesus to His disciples (John 15:20). “ALL that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suff er persecation” (I1 Tim. 3:12).

On the night Jesus was seized to be crucified, He said: “It is written, ‘I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall

be scattered’ ” (Mark 14 :27 ) . After HE, the Shepherd, was crucified, the “sheep,” -His CHURCH-were to become scat- tered! Previously, that same evening, Jesus had said to His disciples: “Ye shall be scattered” (John 16:32).

This persecution and scattering began early. Notice Acts 8: 1: “And at that time there was a great persecutiola against the Church which was at Jerusa- lem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

Notice what Daniel says about the Church: “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge them, and to make them white, even to the time of the end” (Dan. 11: 33-35).

The prophet Ezekiel foretold this scattering-chapter 34. Daniel again foretold it: “When he shall have accom- plished to scatter the power of the huly people (Church), all these things shall be finished.” That is, the end of the age! (Dan. 12:7) .

Nowhere is there any prophecy that

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the one true Church should become great and powerful, exerting influence in this world. Rather, Jesus called it the “Little Flock,” despised, persecuted, scattered BY the world-separate FROM the world! Scattered, but NEVER DIVID- ED! Always ONE Church, speaking the SAME thing-never many differing sects!

You haven’t read much of the history of THAT Church! Even the historians never knew where to look for the TRUE Church-for they didn’t even know WHAT the true Church is!

WORLD’S Churches Deceived On the other hand all the prophecies

forctold that in the WORLD apostasy, deception, counterfeit “Christianity,” and division would occur.

Jesus foretold the very first event to come on the world-GREAT DECEPTION -climaxing, in our day now just ahead,

“Take heed,” He said, “that no man deceive you. For MANY shall come in my nrlme, $dying I am Christ; and shall de- ceive MANY!” (Mat. 24:4, 5 ) .

Notice carefully! It was not the few who were tn be DECEIVED-but the MANY. It was the FEW who were to be- come true Christians!

Jesus had pictured this same condi- tion, when He said: “Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to de- struction, and MANY there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto LIFE, and FEW there be that find it” (Mat. 7:13-14).

That isn’t what the world believes, is it? Probably that isn’t what you have always heard, and come to assume. But ic’s what CHRIST SAID! How deceived this world has become!

Yes, the MANY would come zn JesuJ’ name, proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ-yes, preaching CHRIST to the world-and yet DECEIVING the world- by substituting pagan beliefs while preaching ABOUT Christ!

Clever Counterfeit

in GREAT TRIBULATION!

What a clever counterfeit! And many -perhaps most of those so preaching in Christ’s name are sincere-themseheJ deceived! It is SATAN who has deceived even them! It is SATAN who has made himself the GOD OF THIS WORLD-and thus is worshipped AS God. This world

February, 1958 The PLAIN TRUTH Page 23

doesn’t know the true God, strange as that may seem! This world believes that if one “accepts Christ”--“makes his de- cision for Christ”--“WORSHIPS Christ” -he is saved.

That’s what many preach today! But that is not what JESUS preached!

Observe: “In VAIN do they worship ME,” said Christ, “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men . . . making the word of God of none effect through your tradition” (Mark 7 : 7, 13 ) .

That is difficult to believe, isn’t it? Shocking though it is, the overwhelm-

ing majority have been deceived by min- isters who come in the name of Jesus Christ, proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ, but who teach a different Gospel and a different faith! They are those who, themselves being deceived from childhood, brought up in these deceptive beliefs, enter the ministry to earn a liv- ing, who choose it as their vocation or job, who decide to appoint themselves as Christ’s representatives, yet who were rtot called by Christ to be His ministers! They have hired themselves out to the people, and therefore must preach what the PEOPLE want to hear! They do not correct or reprove their congregations for rejecting the doctrines JESUS taught and for transgressing God’s law which the BIBLE defines as SIN!

A Lesson to be Learned

The apostles, instructed directly by Jesus Christ, constantly warned the Church about this great departure from the FAITH that would begin t o occur at the close of their minis try-not 1500 years later during the Protestant Refor- mation!

Scarcely twenty years a[ter the cruci- fixion of Jesus, the apostle Paul, in one of his first inspired letters, cautioned Christians not to be deceived by false preaching, or by false letters purporting to be from the apostles. “Let no man de- ceive you by any means; for that day” -the time of God’s intervention in hu- man affairs when Jesus Christ will re- turn to rule the nations--“shall not comc cxccpt thcrc comc u fulling uwuy

FIRST” (I1 Thess. 2 : 3 ) . The wholesale departure of profess-

ing Christians from the truth was the FIRST event prophesied t o befall the true Church. Yes, today’s hundreds of con-

fused denominations-the result of that apostasy-were prophesied. God is allowing human beings to form their owe churcher, to learn by hard cruel ex- perience, that every teaching contrary t o the way of life revealed in Scripture will end in sorrow and death. The world has not yet learned this lesson fully. The world doesn’t want to receive the truth, but would rather be lulled to sleep by false ministers who preach what the people want to hear.

The Church Exists Today Jesus said He would be with His

Church till the end of time-that He would build His Church and thc “gatcs of hell” would not prevail against it. His Church-the true Church of God- is commissioned to preach and to pub- lish the gospel to all the world IN THESE

LAST DAYS. Therefore God’s Charch MUST EXIST TODAY! It is preaching the “gospel of the Kingdom . . . in all the world for a witness”-not to convert everyone, but for a witness--“unto all nations, and then shall the end come” (Mat. 24: 14).

There is ONLY ONE WORK that is preaching the true gospel of the king- dom of God-the rule and the reign of God-to the nations.

This is that work. Then those who have their part in this

work and are converted MUST CONSTI-

I challenge any of you to prove that any other work on earth is preaching the same gospel which Jesus preached! Our work is not yet done, not all nations have been reached. But when this work is finished, YOU WILL KNOW THAT THE

TUTE THE CHURCH OF GOD!

MESSAGE WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING OVER “THE W O R L D TOMOR- ROW“ BROADCAST AND WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN READING IN “THE PLAIN TRUTH” IS THE WORK OF GOD WHICH

HE IS SENDlNG ’lHROUGH HIS CHURCH SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

Every other work rejects the message of Jesus Chist 01 else iejects His rule through His laws. There is no exception.

NOTICE Due to his many pressing duties,

the fourth installment of Mr. Arm- strong’s AUTOBIOGRAPHY will be delayed until next month.

The NAME of the Church The Bible gives us the true NAME of

the Church in twelue different places. In five passages where the true NAME

of the Church appears, the entire Body of Christ-the Church as a whole-is in- dicated. Thus when speaking of the en- tire Church, including all its individual members on earth, the name is “The

There are several religious denomina- tions who falsely claim the name “Church of God.” W e should bear in mind that all sects of this world have some truth, though mixed with error. Several have found the truth about the true NAME, and use it. But they are not the true Church. Since Christ is the Head of the Church, Paul also called the various con- gregations “the churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16)-but the actual NAME IS the CHURCH OF GOD. It is kept in the name of the Father (John 1 7 : l l ) .

Yes, this work is the work of the true Church of God. All others are satanic counterfeits! It is time we come out from among them and become separate.

The only true Church of God is made up of those who have surrendered their lives to God and through whom God is carrying vut His work on earth.

It is time you consider whether you are really in God’s true Church!

CHURCH OF GOD.”

Flesh Good Food? (Continued from page 14 )

Such animal flesh was called “com- mon” because it could be given to strangers or aliens in Old Testament times if those people wanted to eat it. They were the common and polluted people-the Gentiles-not the chosen and clean people, Israel (Deut. 14:21).

In New Testament times, clean meat offered to idols was prohibited if it had been polluted by strangulation or if the blood were remaining in it. Otherwise the m u t was permitted to be eaten if it did not offend anyone.

Paul devoted the entire 8th and 10th chapters of I Coiiiiiliians LU iristruciions on not raising the question of meats offered to idols. “But if any man say unto you, ‘This is offcred in sacrifice unto idols,’ eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake”

Page 24

(1 Cor. 10:28). In other words, if clean meats offered to idols were not polluted, you could eat of them unless it offended someone. Under those circumstances the meat became common, not to you, but to the other person who raised the ques- tion about idols. Notice: “Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other” (verse 29 j .

That is why Paul said in Romans “But to him that esteemeth any thing to be common, to him it is common” (Ro- mans 14:14).

The PLAIN TRUTH February, 1958

Prophecy for the Future

What does the Bible say the people would be doing today? Notice: “They that” eat “SWINE’S FLESH”-that is what most people are doing today--“and the abomination, and the mouse, SHALL BE

CONSUMED TOGETHER”-in the wrath of God-“saith the Lord” (Isaiah 66: 17).

This is the fate of those who lust after the foods which God forbids you to eat because those meats will harm you. This is the fate of those “whose God is their belly”! (Philippians 3: 19 ) .

Is it any wonder today, that with all our supposcd scientific knowledge, we have more doctor bills, more sickness than ever before in the history of the world? It is time we returned to God and began to obey His laws. He is our Creator. He made us. He and He alone knows what our bodies were made to utilize as good, healthful foods. He set the laws in motion regulating clean and unclean meats. It is time we began to obey them as Jesus and the apostles did!

Two other points to be briefly men- tioned. God condemns also the eating of animal FAT, or BLOOD (Lev. 3: 17; 7:23; etc.). Butter, olive oil, and some vegetable oils and shortenings are all right, but animal fat should be cut off before eating meat. Hamburger is not good because mixed with much fat. Lard should never be used. These things will wreck any stomach in time.

It may not be spiritual sin to eat unclean meats. Yet, if one deliberately does it out of lust of appetite, that breaks the tenth command and becomes sin. But in all events wrong food injures the body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It defiles the BODY if not the man, and if we defile our bodies God will destroy us ( I Cor. 3:17)

Short Questions ( Continued f r o m page 20 j

ofice of prophet to the nations. The first letter of Paul to the Corin-

thians certainly makes the question plain. The Apostle wrote this epistle to those who were “sanctified” ( I Cur. 1 : 2 j , yet we find that the Corinthians were puffed up, carnal, full of sin. They hacl jealously and strife and fornication in their midst. They were arrogant and refused to acknowledge their sins-just as many today who falsely claim to be sanctified are spiritually proud and ar- iogarzt! Paul found it necessary to have the individual involved in fornication removed from their midst ( I Cor. 5 ) .

Those people certainly had the nature to sin. Their “Adamic nature” certainly was not removed. And certainly the un- believing mates-who were also sancti- fied-were set apart for the high calling of becoming members of the God family. It was after they were sanctified-and after Paul’s stern rebuke that the Corin- thians began to overcome sin.

God sanctifies us, or sets us apart today for His holy use when He calls us into His Church. We then begin to develop spiritually. So that we continue to develop, God separates u s - o r sancti- fies us-from the sinful customs of the world. “Come out from among them and be separate!” But that does not mean we suddenly become perfcct! Not at all. If, after we have been sanctified, we con- tinue to overcome the pull of sin in our human nature and continue faithful to the end of life, God will grant us eternal life in a world free from sin. Not until the resurrection-when we are born again as spirit Sons of God-will we be absolutely sinless.

No wonder Paul wrote: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwell- eth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: and the evil which I would not, that I do [Yet Paul was sanctified or set apart for a very high calling]. . . . 0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God [that 1 will be de- livered] through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7: 18,19,24). That deliverance Paul will receive when Christ returns at the time of the resurrection!